Saudi Arabia Throws Women a Disappointing Bone By Appointing Some of Them to a Council

Women in Saudi Arabia still can’t drive, travel without permission from a male guardian, or vote (they’ll get to do the latter next year), but now they can sit on the consultative Shura Council. In a special lady-only area, that is.

According to the BBC, King Abdullah appointed 30 women to the previously all-male council “following consultations with religious leaders.” (How did that go down? “After much prayer and reflection, we have begrudgingly admitted that women do, in fact, exist. Put them in the corner over there, if you must.”)

The new decree states that women should always hold at least a fifth of its 150 seats. It also decrees that they will have special seating and an entrance and exit “built to ensure segregation of male and female members.” Perhaps the men won’t even notice the disturbance!